ATHLETIC SPORTS GAMES AND PLAYERS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27670, 28 May 1955, Page 9

ATHLETIC SPORTS GAMES AND PLAYERS

(By

MILES}

Chatham Cup Games [ l The second round of the Chatham cup local competition will be played ; today. At Elmwood, Shamrock —after . its unexpectedly big win over Tech- ' nical last week, should beat Nomads. 1 Western may also be expected to have a comfortable win against Wigram, a second division side, at Spreydon. In the early game at English Park Neer- : landia, after its match against Rangers ' in the first round, is not likely to ex- ' tend Technical. The fourth game is in : la very different category. Thistle, a I first division side, will be opposed by City, of the second division. This match has been given pride of place lat English Park, mainly because City ■ !is expected to give Thistle a hard ! | game. City began the season with a [very strong side. Thistle has had a 1 :poor season so far in the first division. ' enne *t Cup Today • Two hundred and nineteen har : ?rs from Canterbury and Otago h ve , entered for the twentieth Kennett Cup ; steeplechase at Riccarton racecourse (today. First held in 1930 for a trophy to the Christchurch club by the late Mr R. L. Kennett, the race ; was dominated by the Dunedin clubs, ! Civil Service and Caversham, till University won the event in 1951. Since : then the trophy has remained in : Christchurch, with wins by Christ- ; church. University and Olympic. With < :16 runners in the team, Caversham ' twill make a strong challenge to recapture the trophy today. Already the club has started its fiftieth jubilee year with an excellpijt record-breaking victory over University in the Lovelock relay. Thirteen clubs will contest the senior section, with 10 in the junior. Besides Cavfcrsham there will be two other Dunedin clubs, Otago University and St. Kilda. First place has been shared by only nine men. The Olympic representative, W. H. Nelson, heads the list with five wins between 1946 and 1951. In 1948 when Harold Nelson was at the Olympic I Games, the race was won by his {brother, Garnet. Competition in today’s race should come up to the standards (set in previous contests. K I Casualty List The Waikato full-back, D. B. Clarke, may not be available for Waikato in its Queen’s Birthday Rugby match against Auckland. Clarke has been admitted to the Waikato hospital and may have to undergo an operation to remove one or both cartilages from his left knee. If the operation is necessary and both cartilages are removed, Clarke might well be out of representative Rugby for some time. It was on February 19, 1952, that Clarke had both cartilages removed from his right knee, after an injury. The former Waikato and All Black hooker, E. H. Catley, was admitted to the Waikato Hospital on Sunday morning, suffering from an internal complaint. It is believed that he will have to remain there for three weeks. Victoria. University will be without J. T. Fitzgerald for about a month with a recurrence of the rib injury suffered in the match against Wanganui last season. T. R. O’Callaghan and V. W. Hunt (Marist) are still recuperating from injuries. Hutt temporarily lost one of the lock forwards, A. J. O’Halloran, through an injury suffered against Petone last week. The Onslow captain, R. P. .Foster, is suffering from a poisoned leg and is standing down this week. D. D. Wilson stood down from Oriental last Saturday because of influenza, but it is expected that he will take his place in the side in the main game at Athletic Park today against Onslow. His duel with J. G. Dougan is being keenly awaited. Answers to Correspondents

R.W. and J.McB., Chch.—-(1) C. Sonntag first played for Otago against Canterbury in 1915 and before retiring in 1930 played in 53 representative games. (2) He was a member of the 1929 New Zealand team to tour Australia and played for the South Island in 1926 and 1929. Information Please. Hornby.—The Canterbury commitments are as follows:—June 4, v. Buller; June 6, v. West Coast; June 6, v. Mid Canterbury; July 2, Town v. Country; August 3, v. South Canterbury, at Timaru; August 10, v. Wanganui; August 13, v. Wellington; August 17,- v. Taranaki: August 20, v. Wairarapa; August 27, v. Auckland;> September 3, v. South Canterbury at Christchurch; September 7, v. Wellington; September 10, v. Australia; September 17, v. North Auckland; September 21, v. Otago; September 24, v. West Coast; September 23, v. Thames Valley. The games against Auckland. South Canterbury, Wellington, North Auckland, Otago, West Coast, and Thames Valley, are listed as Ranfurly Shield matches. Wrong Numbers

Christchurch 'is not the only Rugby centre where confusion is caused because the numbers worn by players do not always correspond-with those given in the official programme. In the Otago Rugby Union’s guide of a recent Saturday the following appeared: “The Rugby Guide is the official programme of the Otago Rugby Football Union, and therefore clubs owe a duty to the union, as well as to the public, to see that when teams are forwarded for inclusion in the guide they are correct in detail, players’ names, initials, and numbers, etc. It was annoying to find in the case of the University A,team that the numbers forwarded for insertion in the programme bore but a slight resemblance to those against the players’ names. It is the duty of the club captain or some other official in a team to make himself responsible for ensuring that the players are correctly numbered and that the team is forwarded so that the public may follow them easily.” The Canterbury Rugby Union, too, has apparently taken heed of a letter which appeared in this column two weeks ago, for in the latest issue of the “Rugby Record” appears the following:—“The Canterbury Rugby Union has sent out the following notice: During the last few Saturdays it has been apparent that some players in the senior teams have taken part in matches in jerseys that are not numbered in accordance with numbers which have been printed in the ‘Rugby Record.’ This is very confusing to the general public, and I have been asked to request you to see that players at all times appear in jerseys numbered in accordance with the programme. When you renumber your next set of jerseys, would you please commence with the fullback No. 1, in order to conform with the practice throughout the rest of New Zealand.” Sponge Robber for Goal Posts “A new type of goal post shield—a canvas bag filled with sponge rubber —has been used on the main ground at Rugby Park, Hamilton. It replaces the conventional sack filled with straw. The Hamilton Rugby Union supplied the design to an upholsterer, who made the bags out of strong green canvas. The bags, filled with sponge rubber, wrap around the front and side of each -upright and are secured at the back of the pole by a rope laced through eyelets in short straps. It is claimed that the spongy rubber has a better cushioning effect than straw 7 and gives more protection for players who are unfortunate enough to strike the upright. Cycle Championship The first road-racing cycling championship of the 1955 season will be held by the Avon Amateur Cycling Club over a 25-mile course commencing from Avonhead road, Upper Riccarton, at 2 p.m. today, following a course along Russley road to Yaldhurst and West Melton and return. A junior championship over the same course as that taken by the seniors will also be decided. K. Fowler and G. Painter are the logical favourites for the senior event, and five young riders—M. Mathieson, G. Murphy, B. Weir, S. Mugford, and D. Groves are expected to have more than outside chances in the'junio* championship.

Strength of Wellington While the interest of Canterbury Rugby supporters will be centred on the efforts of the representative team against Buller and West Coast next week-end. Wellington will have its star club attraction between University and Petone at Athletic Park on June 6. and teams selected from other clubs will play against Marlborough and Manawatu. Although the Petone-Uni-versity game will engage favourites in R. Jardine. W. H. Clark and L. E. Stuart from University and L. D. Abbott. T. Katene, L. P. Puketapu, R. W. Smith, G. W. Brocklebank. D. R. Mclntosh and F. R. Garden (Petone) it is likely that Wellington representatives will have a strong side. A Wellington writer suggests that a good team can be picked from A. J. Makeham, J. G. Dougan, D. D. Wilson, C. J. Loader, N. Nicholls. J. Mooney. L. V. Hattaway, P. K. Sharon, and others who will make a very strong back line, while the forwards available for selection include S. W. Judd. C. M. Vodanovich, C. P. Williams, G. Harker, I. Mac Ewan. T. J. Reynolds. R. H. Horsley, L. A. Clarke, W. E. Calcina;. N. H. Farman and T. P. Roberts. Wellington has a Ranfurly Shield fixture with Canterbury on September 7 and if the shield remains here until this the interest should be great. Already many Wellington followers of Rugby have made tentative arrangements to be in Christchurch on September 7. State Golf Championship Victoria retained the Australian inter-state golf championship in Brisbane this week, winning all five of its matches and scoring 27 of a possible 35 game points. It was the first time a team had gone through the tournament unbeaten. Victoria was led by the present British amateur champion, Douglas Bachli. The New South Wales three top men are all well known to New Zealand golfers—P. Heard, H. Berwick, and K. Pix. On the final day of the tournament Heard beat the Australian amateur champion, Peter Toogood, of Tasmania. Jottings R. Bell, W. R. Archer, K. L. Skinner, A. McMeekan, and R. D. Darracott are in good form for Pirates in the Otago Rugby Union’s championship. L. Townsend, South Island halfback last year, is the star back in the Southern team. In pen pictures of the French Rugby League team Raymond Contrastin is described as top-scorer in the 1949-50 season and with Andre Carrere formed the “crazy wing” which won the Bordeaux championships. His shaven head shows his disregard for anything fancy—in Rugby or anything else—and he barges through any defence unless tackled low. Brother to All Black Already being tipped off as likely to be a strong candidate for the representative full-back position in Wellington is J. Johnstone, the Athletic fullback. and bother of Peter Johnstone, the Otago and 1951 All Black captain , and present coach. Last year Johnstone gave an excellent display for Manawatu against Wellington and i impressed in his other representative appearances. He was a member of the . Taieri Football Club’s senior team before he left Dunedin on transfer to the North Island. ( Income Tax The Australian bantam-weight l champion, Bobby Sinn, will have his i next Sydney fight on behalf of the ■ Federal Income Tax Department. Sinn s will meet the Frenchman, Andre 7 Valigr\at, at Sydney Stadipm on Mon- . day night and is expected to enter the ring at long odds. He was easily beaten by Peter Keenan, frho was in turn easily beaten by Valignat. This . financial year has proved the best b ever for Sinn, and he has earned

about £B6OO. This includes the following purses, Keenan, £3000; Mario D’Agata, £1315; Pierre Cossemyns, £1137: Gianni Zuddas, £943; Billy Peacock, £750. Old Boys v. Marist

The game between Marist and Old Boys at Lancaster Park today should be one of the best in the first round of the Rugby Union championships. Although each has yet to meet some of the leading teams the rivalry between the twd clubs in recent years has been keen enough to ensure a big attendance for today’s game. Marist, which has suffered because of injuries, ivill field its strongest team today, and Old Boys will also be at full strength. Both teams prefer open risky football and no matter what the result patrons of Lancaster Park may be assured of football of more than average interest. Jottings

The leading points scorer in the Canterbury Rugby Union’s senior championship, J. Croucher (University), has scored two tries, and Icicked I nine penalty goals, one field goal and converted four tries for a total of 44 points. M. Gold (Christchurch) is second on the list with 36 points, eight penalties and six conversions, and D. Mayo (Old Boys) has scored one try and kicked five penalty goals and eight conversions for 34 points. R. Smith (Christchurch) has scored nine tries, C. McDonald (Marist) seven and R. Blick (Old Boys) and J. Osborne (Christchurch) six each. K. Stuart (Marist) has only kicked one penalty goal, but has converted 12 tries, and T. Jackson (Technical) has kicked three penalty goals and 11 conversions in a total of 31. Christchurch, the leaders in the championship, has scored 96 points, with 27 against, Old Boys 102—27, Technical 73—49, University 108—48, and Marist 97—57.

Clark McConachy, world professional champion billiards player, made a century snooker break at Dunedin on Monday night. His completed break was 109.

Percy Bush, aged 75, one of the greatest personalities in Rugby Union football, died at Cardiff, last week. In 1904 he toured Australia and New Zealand with th? ’'-.-Dish team, and in 1905 played in th? Wales-All Blacks game.

The keavi est club Rugby pack in Cape Town, Hamiltons, has an average weight of 14st 121 b. The bulkiest man, Jan Pickard, who captained Western Province last winter and may lead the Springboks against Britain, began the season at 16st 81b. Pickworth for President

Ossie Pickworth, of Victoria, was elected president of the Australian Professional Golfers’ Association this week. He beat Eric Cremin, of New South Wales, for the position, and became the first Victorian to hold the office.